Survival Planning and Survival Kits

Survival planning is nothing more than realizing something could happen that would put you in a survival situation
and, with that in mind, taking steps to increase your chances of survival. Thus, survival planning means
preparation.

Preparation means having survival items and knowing how to use them People who live insnow regions prepare their vehicles for poor road conditions. They put snow tires on their vehicles, add extra weight in the back for traction, and they carry a shovel, salt, and a blanket. Another example of preparation
is finding the emergeny exits on an aircraft when you board it for a flight. Preparation could also mean knowing your intended route of travel and familiarizing yourself with
the area. Finally, emergency planning is essential.

Importance of Planning
Detailed prior planning is essential in potential survival situations. Including
survival considerations in mission planning will enhance your
chances of survival if an emergency occurs. For example, if your job requires that you work in a small, enclosed area that limits what you can
carry on your person, plan where you can put your rucksack or your
load-bearing equipment. Put it where it will not prevent you from getting
out of the area quickly, yet where it is readily accessible.
One important aspect of prior planning is preventive medicine. Ensuring
that you have no dental problems and that your immunizations are current
will help you avoid potential dental or health problems. A dental
problem in a survival situation will reduce your ability to cope with other
problems that you face. Failure to keep your shots current may mean
your body is not immune to diseases that are prevalent in the area.
Preparing and carrying a survival kit is as important as the considerations
mentioned above. All Army aircraft normally have survival kits on board
for the type area(s) over which they will fly. There are kits for overwater
survival, for hot climate survival, and an aviator survival vest (see
Appendix A for a description of these survival kits and their contents). If
you are not an aviator, you will probably not have access to the survival
vests or survival kits. However, if you know what these kits contain, it
will help you to plan and to prepare your own survival kit.
Even the smallest survival kit, if properly prepared, is invaluable when
faced with a survival problem. Before making your survival kit, however,
consider your unitís mission, the operational environment, and the
equipment and vehicles assigned to your unit.

Survival Kits

The environment is the key to the types of items you will need in your
survival kit. How much equipment you put in your kit depends on how
you will carry the kit. A kit carried on your body will have to be smaller
than one carried in a vehicle. Always layer your survival kit, keeping the
most important items on your body. For example, your map and compass
should always be on your body. Carry less important items on your
load-bearing equipment. Place bulky items in the rucksack.

In preparing your survival kit, select items you can use for more than
one purpose. If you have two items that will serve the same function,
pick the one you can use for another function. Do not duplicate items,
as this increases your kitís size and weight.

Your survival kit need not be elaborate. You need only functional items that will meet your needs and a case to hold the items. For the case, you might want to use a Band-Aid box, a first aid case, an ammunition
pouch, or another suitable case. This case should beĖ

Include a weapon only if the situation so dictates. Read about and practice
the survival techniques in this manual. Consider your unitís mission
and the environment in which your unit will operate. Then prepare your
survival kit.